Wednesday Wishlist #5

This week the wishlist has been taken over by Norse mythology. It all started with Percy Jackson and his Greek mythology, but then I found out Joanne Harris had released a Norse YA, Runemarks, and I had to read it (it was great). So of course it goes without saying that there is a sequel;

Runelight - Joanne Harris
The second book to the awesome Runemarks. Harris has left a lot open for this book; there are plenty of threads dangling, and although I may have to pick up the first one again before I immerse myself by into that post-Ragnarok world, I have a feeling it won't be too difficult to get back into.

The Gospel of Loki - Joanne Harris
A more adult take on Norse mythology by this bestselling writer, taking on the voice of the trickster God, Loki and giving his account of everything that happened before, during and after the fall of Asgard. This is going to be a great read, because Loki is by far the most interesting and (probably) misunderstood of all the Norse Gods. I mean, have you seen him in the Marvel movies? He's brilliant (thank you Tom Hiddleston for playing him so well).

The Woken Gods - Gwenda Bond
Ok, so this book has more of a mixed mythology, but I'm pretty sure there must be some Norse in there with the mention of Trickster Gods. So all the Gods from ancient mythology have awakened and Kyra (yeah, I know, she has my name!) is right in the middle of it, in Washington D.C. where all the pantheons of the Gods have settled, and where a mysterious society lurks, keeping God-human relations in check. After encountering two trickster Gods and narrowly escaping, Kyra is forced to go on a quest to find a missing Egyptian relic that her father stole, even though she has no idea where it is. Sounds intriguing, but it has a lot of mixed reviews, so I'll have to find out for myself!

Have you read any of these books and what did you think of them?

Runemarks - Joanne Harris

Five Hundred years after the end of the world, and the goblins had been at the cellar again.

This is everyday life for Maddy, who was born with a strange coppery symbol on her hand, known as a runemark. It marks her out in her simple village as an outsider and someone not to be trusted. Her only friend is an old man called one-eye, who suddenly wants her to travel into Red Horse Hill, where the goblins come from. Maddy's world is soon ripped apart as secrets are revealed, enemies and allies resurface from the old world and all Hel breaks loose.

If there's one thing Joanne Harris can do and do well, it's to tell a great story. This book is no exception. But what we have to remember is that this is her first novel for Young Adults, and is therefore slightly less sophistiated than what we are used to from her. As a result, her characters are lacking a little in complexity. The protagonist, Maddy, doesn't really star as much as she should, instead making The Captain (don't worry, you'll work it out when you read it) a much more prominent character in the readers eyes. She also does what she's told most of the time, which isn't the most spunky attribute in a protagonist. However, she is so integral to the plot, I can almost forgive this minor lapse. And anyway, I've always had a soft spot for The Captain.

However her plot is, as always, beautifully thought through. The action is in place from the beginning, which gets you right int the plot. Her descriptions perfectly capture imagination and the imagery puts you right in the middle of the story. Fantasy teen fiction is usually to do with education, groups, a selfish streak and almost always has a love interest. 'Twilight' is a nice example of this, as is the likes of 'Matched' or 'Divergent'. 'Runemarks', like the popular 'Hunger Games' trilogy, is so much more than a simple teen story. It turns away from angst and romance, and into the fray instead. It talks about religion, mythology, family, betrayal and a battle of wills. Maddy has so much more on her shoulders than your usual teen heroine - ie: the end of the universe.

Finally, I have to comment on the subject matter. Norse mythology is something that I haven't really taken a great interest in compared to the likes of Greek and Roman myth. When 'Thor' came out, I took a bit more interest in the matter, but now I think I definitely need to read up. I commend Joanne Harris for choosing this mythology as her basis. Not a lot of people are educated in the liked of the World Tree and Ragnarok, but I certainly hope that this book helps with that.

Oh, and one more thing.. this is no Percy Jackson.

8 out of 10. Only because I wasn't quite prepared for the amazing contrast to her other works and the change to her style because of the teen genre.

Runelight, the sequel, is out now.

Birthday Books

So it was my 21st Birthday on Friday, and of course I got a lot of books. That's the beauty of an Amazon Wishlist - no thinking required apart from which item to give on their part, and I get the books I'm interested in reading.

There is no doubt in my mind that I will be reviewing them, so I thought Id list them for you:

Bumped - Megan McCafferty
0.4 - Mike Lancaster
Runemarks - Joanne Harris
Wither - Lauren DeStefano
Green Rider - Kristen Britain (I also got The High King's Tomb, which is actually the third book in the series)

Three out of these books are dystopian, which is suspect is becoming a little bit of a pattern with me. But there is something about dystopian literature that really sits well with me at the moment. maybe it's because I feel the need to read something about a world that is entirely different to my own. I think that might be why I also like fairytales, sci-fi and fantasy so much. They are so different, and normally almost entirely a fabrication from someone's mind. It's a perfect chance to really see who an author is.

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to reading these books and reviewing them for you. With any luck, they won't be too difficult to read and I'm sure they will be as interesting and enjoyable as their blurbs sounded to me.